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Brown Grass Fungus

Lawns exhibiting brown fungal growth may have contracted a fungal diseases called rhizoctonia blight. This disease commonly infects annual bluegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, St. Augustine and tall fescue grasses, according to the University of California. It is important to recognize early symptoms of the disease in order to provide proper treatment.

  1. Rhizoctonia Blight

    • Rhizoctonia blight quickly germinates and spreads when weather conditions favor the fungal disease. Inspect the lawn for the disease during the rainy season and when daytime temperatures are between 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit and nighttime temperatures are around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Grass that has been wet for more than 24 hours is the most susceptible to the disease. Moreover, monitor your grass after fertilizing because nitrogen can promote the spread of the disease.

    Symptoms

    • Grass infected with rhizoctonia blight begins to turn brown in small patches. The part of the grass blade closest to the soil is the first to become infected, according to the University of Florida. You may see one foot patches of discolored or brown grass when the disease is in its early phase. Eventually, the diseased can expand to several feet in diameter. Also, if you suspect your grass has been infected with rhizoctonia blight, pull out the grass and smell it. Grass infected with the disease will smell rotted.

    Treatment

    • Gardeners can treat their lawns with a fungicide to eradicate the disease. Use a fungicide that contains active ingredients such as chlorothalonil, fenarimol, fludioxonil, flutolanil, iprodione and azoxystrobin, as recommended by the University of Florida. Check the label to ensure that it will not harm your grass type. Reapply in seven to 14 days or following the directions. Promote new growth to get rid of the lawn's discoloration. Fungicides will prevent the spread of the disease, but the gardener must still encourage new growth to restore the appearance of their grass.

    Prevention

    • Prevent future rhizoctonia blight problems by removing your lawn's thatch layer if it is thicker than half an inch, as recommended by the University of California. To check your thatch layer, cut out a 2 inch wedge-shaped piece of turf from the lawn. Measure the thatch layer, which is the layer of dead and living material between the grass and the soil. Push a dethatcher back and forth across the lawn to reduce your thatch buildup.

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Growing Grass
  1. Brown Spots on the Blades of St. Augustine Grass
  2. Brown Dying Grass
  3. Lawn Fungus & Overseeding
  4. Diseased Grass
  5. Pink Fungus on Grass
  6. Rye Grass and Fungus
  7. Brown Patch Disease in Fescue Grass
  8. Fungi in My Grass Lawn
  9. Red Grass Fungus
  10. A Brown Patch of Lawn Fungus
  11. Brown Lawn Fungus
  12. Brown Dead Spots in Centipede Grass

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